There have been a number of reports linking Arsenal with Bundesliga top goalscorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, but the Gabonese firmly denied them on Thursday evening.
The Gunners have allegedly bid €60m (£44.6m) for the striker, though some reports on Thursday said a bid of £60m would be enough to tempt Borussia Dortmund.
At the awards ceremony or African Footballer of the Year, Aubameyang had to wait all night to see if he had pipped Manchester City’s Yaya Touré to the award. He had, and was crowned 2015’s African Footballer of the Year.
The top goalscorer in Germany, he’s contributed to more goals than anyone else – including Bayern Munich superstars Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Müller – and is a worthy winner of the award.
Speaking after the event, he denied any rumours linking him with a move to Arsenal, or anywhere else.
Pretty categoric from Aubameyang to ESPN FC… “Let me say this first: I am not going to Arsenal.” #AFC
— Simon Collings (@sr_collings) January 8, 2016
It seems pretty obvious a move won’t happen, as we have said all along. Dortmund have no reason to sell a player tied down to 2020 and don’t need money. It’s a club where footballing success is valued above profit margin and a player who can’t be replaced (and isn’t asking to leave) is invaluable.
There’s little doubt Arsenal are interested on some level – who wouldn’t be? – but the answer is a categorical no. Aubameyang isn’t going anywhere.